Fight for Ozzy

My name is Karmin Walker, and I am donating time, money, and various other resources to help a very dear family in need. The Browns, Chyla, JJ, Macy, Hayden, and Ozzy are loved by everyone that comes into contact with them. They radiate happiness and cheer everywhere they go. Chyla and JJ are terrific parents who work very hard to provide for their family. This does not come without struggles, but they make it through by the close-knit bond they have between all of them. They are a blessing to everyone they encounter.

In November and December of 2021, little Ozzy (2 years of age) started having progressively worse vision issues where he would appear to not be able to focus on objects very well, and would increasingly lose his balance while walking. In January, he became ill with COVID-19, and an optometrist assumed after recovering from COVID-19 that the fever he had, had taken center stage for his immune system. Meaning that every inch of his body went into fighting his fever instead of correcting his eyesight as it had previously done. Chyla and JJ searched many optometrists, they still never got an answer that they liked, nor one that really made much sense. One optometrist told them to wait six months to see if the eyes corrected themselves... this did not sit well with the parents, and they continued searching for more answers. Parental instinct kicked in as they knew deep down that something bigger was wrong, and they fought to have a brain scan done of little Ozzy's brain. Good thing too, because had they waited the 6 months that this little boy was told to wait, they likely would not have Ozzy with them by then.

On March 4, 2022, a brain scan was done of Ozzy's brain, thanks to Chyla's persistent begging for the scan to be conducted. The scan revealed that a brain tumor the size of a golfball was located directly on Ozzy's brain stem. This was treated as an immediate, and urgent medical emergency and the Browns were transported to Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. The family packed their belongings and moved into a small room in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They prayed and hoped for the best with no knowledge of what the tumor meant for little Ozzy.

On March 5, 2022, explorative brain surgery was conducted to reveal the extent of the tumor and possibly remove this intrusive mass from the two-year-old's brain stem. Upon conclusion of the surgery, it was shown that the brain tumor was not just any tumor... and it was not the size of a golfball. Cancer had now spread to multiple regions within the brain, doing more damage than what the brain scan had revealed. The tumor was diagnosed as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

DIPG tumors most commonly occur in children aged 5 to 10 years old but can occur in children of any age and even more rarely in adults. Here is some information from the St. Jude website (2022) DIPG is a type of tumor that starts in the brain stem, the part of the brain just above the back of the neck and is connected to the spine. The brain stem controls breathing, heart rate, and the nerves and muscles that help us see, hear, walk, talk and eat. These tumors are called gliomas because they grow from glial cells, a supportive cell in the brain.

There are two different stages with this type of tumor, and the Low-Grade stage means that the tumor cells are closest to normal. High-Grade stages mean... that these are much more aggressive tumors.

While tumors are not necessarily uncommon, DIPG tumors only make up 10%-20% of all tumors in children. Symptoms of this type of tumor usually develop very rapidly due to the fast growth of these tumors. The most common symptoms of DIPG tumors are: (1) problems with balance and walking; (2) problems with the eyes; (3) problems chewing and swallowing; (4) nausea and vomiting; (5) morning headaches, or headaches that get better after vomiting; (6) facial weakness or drooping (usually one side).

DIPG tumor symptoms can be lessened by radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery (the least common method to treat these tumors due to their fast growth).

Depending on what site you visit, you will find that the survival rate of children diagnosed with DIPG tumors is very low to nearly a zero percent chance of survival. Most commonly, once diagnosed, a child has approximately 8-10 months to live, up to a year.

This GoFundMe is set up to help with care costs, as this will not be an easy experience for the Browns. There are so many people who want to help, and the cost of care should not be something they should have to worry about. This is not a feat that any parent should have to encounter, and it will not be easy. The Browns ask for your blessings, and prayers, and thank you for your generous support. Donations will also go toward covering essential bills so that the family can focus on spending the quality time they so desperately need with Little Ozzy at this time.

It would be much appreciated if you could help, even in the smallest amounts. Thank you for your support.